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Bill 115 and Atkinson principles

Balance on a tough issue, Nov. 17

Thu., Nov. 22, 2012

Re: Balance on a tough issue, Nov. 17

Kathy English confirms what Star readers already know: the Star editorial board supports the Liberal’s anti-strike/wage freeze legislation, Bill 115. How the Star squares this position with its much-vaunted Atkinson principles, I have no idea (although to be fair, Joe Atkinson himself contradicted his paper’s labour positions from time to time).

Recently, the Star limply suggested that the Ontario government has “few palatable options” apart from freezing public sector wages through this collective agreement-busting legislation. Is the Star kidding? It should read its own Thomas Walkom’s musings on the issue. Better yet, why can’t the Star look at other tax jurisdictions? It might, for instance, lobby the Liberals to alter the province’s corporate tax rate of 10 per cent to achieve parity with robust Saskatchewan’s 12 per cent (Manitoba’s is 15 per cent and Quebec’s 16 per cent).

I’m quite certain Bank of Canada Governor, Mark Carney, recently gave every government in Canada tacit permission to increase corporate tax rates, noting that our somnambulant and putative “job creators” are squatting on half a trillion dollars of dormant cash collected over decades through tax cuts.

I would think Carney’s revelation gives the Star license to stand by its Atkinson principles on this one. So why isn’t it?

It was good to see the Satr’s Public Editor address the issue of the coverage of the current teachers’ dispute. However, the article contained some of the very same slanted phrasing that teachers have been complaining about in the Star’s coverage.

1) Referring to last April, and the “the province’s then proposed wage and salary grid freeze.” Choice of words is very important in journalism. Even last April, the wage and salary grid freeze was not proposed, it was imposed. “Proposed” means “to put forward for consideration, discussion.” There was absolutely none of this in the government’s position, the wage and grid freeze was going to be imposed, no consideration, no discussion. Use of the word “proposed” is inaccurate.

2) With this in mind, “walked away from contract talks after an hour at the bargaining table” becomes a phrase steeped in inaccuracy. First, teachers do not have a contract with the government. They never had.

Secondly, “bargaining,” which means “negotiate the terms and conditions of a transaction” Whatever definition is used, whether it be the Webster’s definition, or the clear guidelines in the Labour Relations Act, whatever occurred last April could in no way be referred to as “bargaining”. Imposing the terms and conditions cannot be considered bargaining.

3) Ms. English’s closing statement. “Here, we should all remember the title of the bill, a lesson in irony to be sure: It is called the “Putting Students First Act.” By using this statement, and including the name of the Act, you validate the government’s own “Newspeak” in naming the bill in the first place. Your “lesson in irony” clearly implies that anyone who opposes this bill indeed is not putting students first.

Finally, a personal opinion. “While the Star’s editorial board supports the bill, citing the overriding need to cut Ontario’s $14.4 billion deficit.” This always has been frightening. History is fraught with governments imposing measures on populaces or groups “citing an overriding need.” It is always a dangerous path to justify any restrictive action by a government by “citing an overriding need,” and such overriding must be used extremely rarely and judiciously.

Dave New, Kingston

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